10 Strategies for Catholic Campus Ministries to Capture and Re-engage Alumni

Catholic campus ministries and Newman Centers often face the challenge of building and maintaining a robust alumni donor base.

Alumni are typically the most connected and potentially generous segment of a ministry's donor population, yet many organizations struggle to effectively capture alumni contact information and keep them engaged.

Whether you’re dealing with recent graduates or long-lost alumni, these 10 strategies will help your Catholic campus ministry grow its donor database and foster long-lasting connections.

1. Student Registration Drives: The Foundation for Future Alumni Engagement

The best time to capture alumni information is before they even graduate. Conducting a student registration drive during the first two weekends of the fall semester ensures you collect essential contact details, including email, phone number, and expected graduation date.

Incentivize participation with prizes, and consider adding a section for parent contact information—especially if the parents are alumni themselves. This proactive approach lays a strong foundation for future engagement.

2. Retreat and Program Registrations: Capturing Active Participants

Encourage campus ministers to capture detailed information from students attending retreats and programs. Ensure this data is shared with the development office to create a targeted list of engaged alumni. These individuals have had direct experiences with your ministry, making them prime candidates for future giving.

3. Consistent Communication: Keeping Alumni Connected

Consistent communication is key to maintaining alumni relationships. Implement a strategic communication plan that includes two printed newsletters and one e-newsletter each year.

This plan helps alumni stay informed about ministry updates, success stories, and opportunities to give back. Content should be varied, including director messages, program highlights, student and alumni spotlights, and development updates.

For Catholic Newman Centers, it is also a good idea to have a vocation spotlight (i.e. alumni in seminary, successful alumni marriage, etc) as this is always an important topic for Catholics, no matter the ministry.

4. Reunion Events: Reconnecting with Alumni

Leverage university reunion weekends to host special events for alumni. Coordinate with university publications and websites to promote your activities, such as 5Ks, parades, or alumni brunches. These events provide opportunities to reconnect with alumni and introduce them to your ministry’s current work and future needs.

For example, Saint John 23 University Parish has participated in the reunion weekend at Colorado State University for years. They have organized teams of runners for the Reunion 5K, built parade floats, and more. And on Sunday, they host an alumni brunch before everyone heads back home. 

5. Class Gift Programs: Encouraging Early Giving

Implementing a Class Gift Program encourages graduating seniors to pledge donations, typically through automated monthly giving. This program not only generates immediate funds but also instills a habit of giving among new alumni, fostering long-term support for your ministry.

St. Mary’s Catholic Center at Texas A&M began their class gift program in 2005. This program has been incredibly successful over the years and has raised over $900,000 in gifts from over 700 graduates. The money is certainly nice for the ministry, but having 700 recent graduates giving back immediately after leaving campus is invaluable. 

6. Alumni Events: Bringing the Ministry to Them

Hosting regional alumni events allows you to connect with alumni who may not return to campus frequently. Whether it's a casual cookout or a more formal gathering, these events should encourage mingling, provide ministry updates, and include a brief program that highlights your ministry’s impact and needs.

7. Diocesan Census Collaborations: A Goldmine for New Contacts

Collaborate with dioceses during their census periods to identify alumni who attended your ministry. This partnership can yield hundreds of new contacts with minimal effort, significantly expanding your donor database.

8. Leveraging University Alumni Databases: Identifying Catholic Graduates

Access university alumni databases, if available, to cross-reference graduates with your ministry’s records. Focus on identifying alumni with Catholic affiliations or those working in Catholic institutions. This process may be tedious, but it's a valuable way to uncover potential supporters.

9. Mining Old College Yearbooks and Church Files: Rediscovering Lost Alumni

Explore old college yearbooks, Newman Club records, and church archives to find names of past ministry participants. Sending personalized letters to these individuals can rekindle their connection to your ministry and encourage future involvement.

10. Raffles and Sweepstakes: Engaging Alumni Through Fundraising

Hosting a raffle or sweepstakes can be an effective way to engage alumni, especially when students reach out to their networks. Even small contributions can lead to new donor relationships, turning your fundraiser into a powerful tool for donor acquisition.

St. Mary’s at Texas A&M ran a raffle for many years and in the mid-2000’s, they were averaging around 400-500 total donors with 200-250 being new alumni and parents every year. This turns a raffle from just a fundraiser into a goldmine for long-term donor acquisition.

Final Thoughts: Stay Innovative in Alumni Engagement

These strategies are just the beginning. Continuously explore new ways to connect with alumni, and treat each new contact as a reason to celebrate. Your efforts will pay off in the form of stronger alumni relationships and a more sustainable donor base.

Andrew N. Robison is President of Petrus Development. He has worked in development roles in Catholic campus ministry, higher education and academic medicine. Andrew works with organizations of all sizes to build sustainable development programs that allow them to better serve their constituencies.